Conventionally, the contact probe head including a number of contact probes mounted on a common base plate has been used for testing electronic devices as a part of a testing machine. Such a contact probe typically comprises a tubular receptacle, a needle member received therein, and a spring member urging the needle member out of the front end of the receptacle as disclosed in commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 5,004,977. The spring member typically consists of a compression coil spring, and is engaged with the receptacle at its one end and with a front end portion of the needle member at its other end.
According to this structure, since the stopper for limiting the projecting movement of the needle member under the spring force of the compression coil spring consists of a coil of wire or a sleeve which is either blazed or crimped onto the needle member, it is not possible to remove the needle member without removing the receptacle also. Since each contact probe head is provided with a large number of densely arranged contact probes, it is not easy to replace the contact probes. Further, since the positional accuracy of each receptacle is highly important for the satisfactory operation of the contact probe head, replacement of a receptacle must be accompanied by a step of ensuring the positional accuracy of the newly installed receptacle, and this means an added work for properly maintaining the condition of a contact probe head.